The Turkish and Russian leaders strengthened their rapprochement on Monday by emphasizing new trade deals that boost their ailing economies while minimizing their deep tensions on security matters.

On the sidelines of a global energy summit in Istanbul, Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin signed a deal for the long-delayed TurkStream natural gas project that would allow Russia a new pipeline to reach European markets during a time when Moscow is struggling with sanctions against parts of its economy following its incursion into Ukraine.

In return, Mr. Putin lifted import barriers on some Turkish agricultural products that he established last year, when bilateral relations froze after Turkey shot down a Russian jet fighter near the Syrian border.

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Image courtesy of Reuters